Serial shoplifter Lisa Harbun, 31, from Weoley Castle, has been spared an immediate prison sentence despite committing 41 shop raids and stealing more than £5,000 worth of goods over a year. The mother-of-two, who is pregnant, repeatedly targeted stores in south Birmingham including Asda, Next, Holland & Barrett, Savers, Home Bargains, Sainsbury's, Boots and Farmfoods.
Court Decision and Sentence
At Birmingham Crown Court on Wednesday, July 8, Harbun was sentenced to an 18-month suspended sentence. The sentence includes a drug rehabilitation requirement and 20 days of rehabilitation activity. She was also issued a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) banning her from certain shops and entire retail areas in Selly Oak and Harborne.
Judge Stacy Newnham-Payne told Harbun: "This is serious offending behaviour, please don't misunderstand that on its own could be strong support for the immediate imposition of custody. But hearing what I have heard today, your personal mitigation, immediate custody will have a harmful impact on others, particularly your children and your unborn baby."
Details of the Offences
Harbun was convicted of 39 charges of shoplifting, two of attempted shoplifting, two counts of assault and one offence of assault with intent to resist arrest. She admitted all but one of the charges and was also in breach of a suspended sentence. The incidents took place between June last year and June this year.
She often raided shops alone and sometimes in the presence of a group, typically stealing hundreds of pounds of goods each time, including children's clothing, food, plants, candles and gift sets. Managers at Next and Sainsbury's branded her "prolific" and said her behaviour was escalating with no end in sight.
Impact on Staff and Police
On some occasions, Harbun spat at staff who tried to stop her. Her spree ended when she violently resisted police and tried to drive away with her screaming child in the back of a car. On June 8, police officers confronted her in a takeaway in Northfield where she was sitting with her daughter.
Eoin Campbell, prosecuting, said: "They told her she was wanted for theft. The officers agreed to allow Ms Harbun's daughter to leave before they arrested her. They followed the defendant to her vehicle. She strapped her daughter in the back seat. Suddenly she jumped into the driver's seat and attempted to get away."
Pc Wood opened the door and grabbed her, but Harbun drove off with the officer hanging outside the vehicle. Pc Wood fell to the ground and suffered injuries that prevented him from driving, causing significant disruption to his home life. Backup was called and Harbun was eventually detained.
Mitigation and Rehabilitation
Harbun had previously committed 83 offences, including 46 thefts. Sharon Bailey, defending, confirmed she stole to fund her drug addiction. Bailey said Harbun had been in custody on remand for a month and her drug problem had been assessed for the first time, serving as a "wake-up call".
Bailey added: "She expects a baby in November. Social services have already been - interested is not the right word - she has co-operated with them working towards an assessment."
Judge Newnham-Payne noted that Harbun was a victim of domestic abuse and that the perpetrator had received a high custodial sentence. She urged Harbun to keep engaging with support services and warned: "This is possibly your final chance. Don't make me regret giving you this opportunity Ms Harbun."
